By Freshgist
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) State2state project has recently organised a three days training on conflict mitigation for Religious and women leaders in Akwa Ibom state.
The training which was held at Havillah Hotels and Tower, Uyo, was intensive and mind engaging, aimed at peaceful coexistence, using gender and social inclusion as a working tool to mitigate conflicts in the state.
The state team lead, State accountability, transparency and effective state2state Activity for Akwa Ibom state, Mr Borve Paago- Imabel, in his opening remark disclosed that the activity was designed to create synergy and multi stakeholders' response to addressing conflicts in the States where State2State works across Nigeria.
Imabel added that the State2State conducted the Conflict Assessment Framework in Akwa Ibom State to empirically determine the nature of conflicts in the state in June 2021. The study, he said helped to determine the approach to conflict mitigation activities planned for the state.
The state team lead said, "The conflict Mitigation Training for Religious and women leaders in Akwa Ibom State is therefore one in a series of conflict mitigation and management trainings provided to critical stakeholders in the state.
"The inclusion of women serves to reinforce the strategic role of mothers in the society. It is accepted that if you train a woman, you are training a nation. It is our hope to build a resource pool for conflict mitigation in the state towards the emergence of state conflict management framework in Akwa Ibom State."
He explained that their major focus is on the implementation of actions developed at the end of the process to reengineer the oversight functions and deepen engagement with various state institutions for the benefit of the State.
"Prior to now, our conflict mitigation training has been delivered to Youths, political parties, CSOs and citizens groups, Akwa Ibom State Council of Traditional Rulers, the media and also government institutions. State2State is USAID's flagship governance activity in Nigeria running from 2022-2025," he added.
Imabel also thanked the state Governor, HE Udom Emmanuel and the State Executive Council for the continued support to the activity in the State as well as the Secretary to State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem for participating in the activity to open the workshop and to the Donor and Multilateral Relations Department for their partnership.
"The state2state team is grateful to the state governor, Mr udom Emanuel for their continuous support in the state2state activities, showing commitment to the reform activities of the USAID funded activity, the State Governor HE Udom Emmanuel approved the provision of office space and the composition of the State Transformation Committee headed by the Commissioner for Finance Dr. Linus Nkan which was inaugurated by the Secretary to the State Government Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem On June 21 2021."
He listed some key achievements recorded since inception in 2021 to include: Conduct of the state Public Finance Management Assessment which allowed state institutions to undergo a process of self-assessment, scoring and rating; Development of State Budget Calendar; Standard Operations Manual for MDAs; Develophent of the Medium -Term Expenditure Framework for the 2022-2024 Fiscal Years and Full migration of the 2022 state budget to the National Charts of Accounts template with support from the Nigeria Governor's Forum and delivery of services in the key sectors of basic education, primary health care and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
Mr Imabel also informed the public that State2State has concluded plans for the development of the state Medium Sector Strategy as wells as Monitoring and Evaluation Framework with the Ministry of Economic Development.
In his words, "This workshop offers us a unique opportunity and platform for exchange of ideas to build more resilient and strong society as well as state institutions competing to meet best standards to foster the development of our state. Therefore, Interfacing with and building the skills of key religious leaders in conflict mitigation is a strategy to support social cohesion, stability and security as given the peculiar calling and mandate of faith based organizations.
"I also thank the State Transformation Committee under the chairmanship of the state Commissioner of Finance Dr. Linus Nkan whose pivotal support has resulted in the many successes of the project in Akwa Ibom State. As we mark a year of the STC today, we pray for more achievements together," he submitted.
Also speaking, The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem also charged the religious and women leaders to be guarded in their utterances because people are listening to them otherwise they can set the country ablaze by the way they speak.
The state scribe also tasked the religious and women leaders on quality representative adding that "Our words matter, as opinion moulders and influencers. The women who are the custodians and by nature very patience and detailed have lots of people they come across everyday from home, school, church, farm etc for them to counsel or meet as a group.
"It is a serious responsibility in Akwa Ibom State politics, church and all, let peace lead. Cross check, verify and do not just swallow whatever anybody tells you. When you verify, you will be so shocked that you were told only 10percent of what happened."he added
Describing the state as the most peaceful state in Nigeria, Ekuwem maintain that peace is the greatest bone as it settles all, added that peace is an important and necessary instrument both in the Christian and Muslim religions. He listed some beatitudes in the scriptures as blessing to Christian life hinting that Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.
Ekuwem described women as partners, noting that one conflict usually identified is domestic violence and charged men to respect women.
According to him, "A sound man does not look at a woman with disrespect or disdain, do not do that. A complete man does not disrespect womanhood or think he holds monopoly of knowledge."
He reminded women that they can make it as God has blessed all equally no matter the gender. "There is no area of subject the women have not excelled. Counsel your sons and daughters to dialogue and exchange ideas as two good heads are better than one which is the first port of call. We can all excel. Peace is what is used to address conflict.
On his part, the state Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN) General Secretary, Rev Isang Eyoumoh thanked God for the grace as well as USAID for the training to discuss and interact as regards conflict mitigation.
He also thanked the state government for accommodating them to encourage their Programmes and activities. "Conflict is as old as man and not a new thing to Nigeria or Akwa Ibom State, "If your brother acts wrongly towards you, go and point out his fault to him when only you and he are there. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother." Matthew 18:15-18. He charged all to embrace peace.
Moreover, Mrs Idongesit Okoko, President, National Council For Women Societies, Akwa Ibom State Chapter thanked the governor for being proactive even before the electioneering period by putting in place the Maintain Peace Movement to avoid conflict and prayed God for the technical know-how to ensure peace wherever they are while supporting one another.
In a thank you interaction at the end of the training, Hon Mrs Aniedi Inyang, Ex Officio1 representing the good people of Nsit Ibom local government at the People's democratic party (PDP) Akwa Ibom state council, thanked the USAID S2S activity for coming up with such an intensive training, added that the knowledge gathered will be used to train others in their organisations, communities and where ever one finds his/ her self.
Inyang also charged USAID to increase numbers of training days in their subsequent trainings, especially those topics with larger scope of studies as the just concluded training in order to help the organisers in time management and the participants to learn everything with understanding.
"The training was so unique, very embracing and elaborate, and i so much enjoyed it, and the knowledge I have gathered is going to help me in mitigating conflicts in my party if any, and also as a national secretary of Qua Ibo church Nigeria, it will help me in dealing with conflict amongst women and organisation in the church.
"I appreciate all the facilitators of the training, they did excellent work and the knowledge impacted on us will go a long way, streamlining violence within our communities and in any environment we find our selves because personally I'm going to use the knowledge to train other people, other leaders under me who will in turn train other members of the public.
I also want to suggest that USAID state 2state activities can increase their training days to five days, since the scope of the training is very wide , so that we will be able to learn everything and time will be well managed
"I want to encourage them that they should continue with this sensitization and training because participants will also use the idea to train people in our offices, churches and local communities and if this is done, most conflicts will not take place, thank you." She added
Topical issues handled during the sessions were; Political Stability; Economy, Champions and Spoilers of Reforms,Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI), Status of Civil Society in Advocacy and Accountability, Inclusion of Women and Vulnerable Persons, Conflict Trends ( Type, Location, Nature and Actors) and Conflict Mitigation as well as other issues.
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